Tag: Micah Parsons

5 landing spots for Penn State’s Micah Parsons in the NFL draft

Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is one of the top defensive players in the 2021 NFL Draft, but which team will draft him?

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It’s no surprise that linebacker Micah Parsons is creating some buzz a month out of the NFL Draft. He’s one of the top prospects this year and it could be argued he’ll be the first linebacker off the board in the first round.

Coming into the 2020 season, Penn State fans were excited to see Parsons back on the field after his ridiculous performance against Memphis in the Cotton Bowl. However, with players having the option to forego their season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fans would have to wait to see Parsons in the NFL.

There was always a question of “How much will this hurt his draft stock?” Turns out, it didn’t matter in the slightest. Micah Parsons is a solidified a first-round talent and now we get to see which team will take a chance on him.

Let’s take a look at five teams that could land the Penn State linebacker:

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers selecting Parsons at No. 8 in the draft could be a surprise, but it shouldn’t be ruled out. Head coach Matt Rhule and his staff selected defensive players with every pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, their linebacker core is still lacking. Parsons could be the perfect fit for that Luke Kuechly type of replacement to quarterback the defense for 10-plus seasons.

Panthers head coach Matt Rhule – Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The Panthers could be in the market for a quarterback, but with Teddy Bridgewater still on the team, he should be more than serviceable this upcoming season.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are the main reason for chaos so far in the offseason. After trades with the 49ers and Eagle,s they sit with the No. 6 overall pick. If the draft starts off with three or four quarterbacks being taken, the Dolphins will be left with a bunch of options.

For starters, they could grab an offensive lineman or they could draft another wide receiver for Tua Tagovailoa. It would be surprising to see the Dolphins scoop up another wideout after grabbing Will Fuller in free agency.

Dolphins head coach Brian Flores with players – USA Today Syndication: Palm Beach Post

Why the Dolphins could land their future linebacker in Micah Parsons starts with the head coach: Brian Flores. In the 3-4 defensive scheme for Miami, Parsons could act as a hybrid linebacker and create more pressure to get to the quarterback.

PHOTOS: A look at Penn State linebacker and NFL draft prospect Micah Parsons

Next: Micah Parsons chasing down Patrick Mahomes?

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

2021 NFL mock draft: Ken Pomponio

The Huddle’s Ken Pomponio has released his first mock for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Ken Pomponio’s first mock draft of 2021 is now out. Sound off on social media and let us know what you think.

We’ll be unveiling more mock drafts than ever before this year, so be sure to check back with our 2021 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of our offerings.

2021 NFL Mock Draft: Round 1

Pick
 Team
Pos
 Player School
1
 Jacksonville Jaguars
QB
 Trevor Lawrence Clemson
2
 New York Jets
QB
 Zach Wilson BYU
3
 San Francisco 49ers (via MIA>HOU)
QB
 Trey Lance North Dakota State
4
 Atlanta Falcons
TE
 Kyle Pitts Florida
5
 Cincinnati Bengals
OT
 Penei Sewell Oregon
6
 Miami Dolphins (via PHI)
WR
 Ja’Marr Chase LSU
7
 Detroit Lions
WR
 Jaylen Waddle Alabama
8
 Carolina Panthers
QB
 Justin Fields Ohio State
9
 Denver Broncos
LB
 Micah Parsons Penn State
10
 Dallas Cowboys
CB
 Patrick Surtain II Alabama
11
 New York Giants
EDGE
 Gregory Rosseau Miami (Fla.)
12
 Philadelphia Eagles (via MIA>SF)
CB
 Caleb Farley Virginia Tech
13
 Los Angeles Chargers
OT
 Rashawn Slater Northwestern
14
 Minnesota Vikings
EDGE
 Kwity Paye Michigan
15
 New England Patriots
QB
 Mac Jones Alabama
16
 Arizona Cardinals
WR
 DeVonta Smith Alabama
17
 Las Vegas Raiders
OG
 Alijah Vera-Tucker USC
18
 Miami Dolphins
LB
 Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Notre Dame
19
 Washington Football Team
OT
 Christian Darrisaw Virginia Tech
20
 Chicago Bears
OT
 Jalen Mayfield Michigan
21
 Indianapolis Colts
EDGE
 Jaelen Phillips Miami (Fla.)
22
 Tennessee Titans
CB
 Jaycee Horn South Carolina
23
 New York Jets (via SEA)
RB
 Travis Etienne Clemson
24
 Pittsburgh Steelers
OL
 Teven Jenkins Oklahoma State
25
 Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR)
S
 Trevon Moehrig TCU
26
 Cleveland Browns
LB
 Zaven Collins Tulsa
27
 Baltimore Ravens
WR
 Kadarius Toney Florida
28
 New Orleans Saints
CB
 Greg Newsome II Northwestern
29
 Green Bay Packers
LB
 Jamin Davis Kentucky
30
 Buffalo Bills
EDGE
 Azeez Ojulari Georgia
31
 Kansas City Chiefs
OT
 Dillon Radunz North Dakota State
32
 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
OG/C
 Landon Dickerson Alabama

NFL Mock Draft: Will Penn State TE Pat Freiermuth be Joe Burrow’s new tight end in Cincinnati?

Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth could be a perfect addition to the Cincinnati Bengals for franchise quarterback Joe Burrow.

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The NFL draft is creeping closer and closer, which means the mock draft gurus are getting better projections made for what players are going where. Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons continues to be a lock to be going in the first round but an impressive showing at Penn State’s pro day figures to only help defensive end Jayson Oweh continue to move himself up the big boards.

But the latest mock draft from Mark Schofield of Touchdown Wire has another Nittany Lion going before Oweh, and early in the second round. Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth is projected to be a second-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals according to Schofield’s latest two-round mock draft. After former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer supposedly opts to go with a safety with the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ second-round pick, Freiermuth’s landing spot could be a few picks later with the Bengals, where he would become a big weapon for former Heisman Trophy winner and LSU Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow. Not a terrible spot to be in for Freiermuth, if it plays out this way.

“Wideout could be an option here, with players like Rondale Moore and Amon-Ra. St. Brown available, but with the tight end position a concern in Cincinnati — and this position thinning out as the draft goes on — the Bengals address it now and look to add at the receiver later in the draft,” Schofield said in explaining the logic of drafting Freiermuth for the Bengals.

Meanwhile, Schofield isn’t seeing Oweh rise high enough in the NFL Draft to sniff the first round. Instead, Schofield projects Oweh heading to the Dallas Cowboys with the 44th overall pick.

“Some teams might be scared off by the lack of production in 2020 — zero sacks will do that — but turning on his film you do see how he can be a productive pass rusher off the edge in the NFL,” Schofield explained. “Plus, his incredible pro day testing is going to see his stock rise.”

Schofield did mention that pro day stock could help elevate Oweh’s draft position and there is a chance he may not be available for the Cowboys with the 44th pick.

As for Parsons, the Penn State linebacker is still being projected to go to the Denver Broncos with the No. 9 pick. The Broncos have widely been expected to be the most likely landing spot for Parsons according to multiple mock drafts that continue to be updated.

Check out the entire two-round mock draft from Touchdown Wire to see who your favorite NFL team may be drafting in April.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter @NittanyLionWire. Like Nittany Lions Wire on Facebook.

PHOTOS: Penn State’s first round NFL draft picks since joining the Big Ten

What Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said about Penn State pro day

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was impressed by what he saw at Penn State’s pro day leading up to the 2021 NFL draft.

Under the direction of head coach James Franklin, Penn State football players have developed quite the reputation in NFL combine style events. The latest exhibition of NFL talent coming out of Happy Valley was in the spotlight this week with Penn State’s pro day event.

With linebacker Micah Parsons expected to be a lock for a first-round draft pick and defensive lineman Jayson Oweh continuing to surge up various big boards, Penn State’s pro day event was one to be paying close attention to in the NFL draft cycle. And with 31 NFL teams having representation in State College, the eyes of the NFL were definitely plugged in. The only NFL team not represented in Happy Valley was the Los Angeles Rams.

Among those on hand for Penn State’s pro day was Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, and he certainly seemed to come away impressed with the display of talent brewing in Happy Valley.

“This is a freak show out here,” Tomlin said when reacting to Penn State’s pro day.

As noted by Steelers Wire, the Steelers have a few Penn State players that could be potential targets for the AFC franchise. Parsons and Oweh would certainly be good fits in Pittsburgh gold and black, but Pittsburgh may be in a position to make a run at tight end Pat Freiermuth as well. Considering Tomlin was joined by tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts, who ran some drills with Freiermuth at pro day, it sure looks like the Steelers could be looking to use a pick on the Nittany Lions tight end.

The Steelers have the 24th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Parsons is expected to be gone by then, but most mock drafts seem to have Oweh and Freiermuth available for sure by the time the Steelers make a pick. The Steelers also have the 55th overall pick and could use one on either Oweh or Freiermuth if still available.

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PHOTOS: Penn State’s first round NFL draft picks since joining the Big Ten

Cory Bonini’s 2021 NFL mock draft 2.0

Cory Bonini has updated his 2021 NFL mock draft to reflect the recently traded picks and free agency.

Here’s my second 2021 NFL mock draft. I tend not to project trades, and this year is no different — at least for now. The draft process is quite different this year, most notably without a scouting combine, so collegiate pro days will be more valuable than in recent years. Also important, in-game data retrieved from chips embedded into equipment, which is something we’ll see teams utilize more frequently and rely less on watching how a player performs without pads.

Anyway, we’ll be unveiling more mock drafts than ever before this year, so be sure to check back with our 2021 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of our offerings.

2021 NFL Mock Draft notables

  • The New York Jets’ No. 2 pick … I previously mocked WR Ja’Marr Chase here, because I wasn’t convinced the Jets were done with Sam Darnold. It was looking to be the case right up until the San Francisco 49ers traded the farm to move into the No. 3 spot, which convinced me the Jets didn’t want to get out of the second slot for fear of losing their new franchise quarterback.
  • San Francisco could go with Trey Lance or Justin Fields … my lean is Fields, because I see more upside there to fit what Kyle Shanahan wants to do on offense, and there’s a little greater trust factor coming from a powerhouse school.
  • Back to Chase for a moment … Do the Atlanta Falcons need another wide receiver? No, probably not, but Chase’s potential is too great to pass with Julio Jones in the twilight (and probably final year) of his career with the Falcons. Furthermore, the franchise is locked into Matt Ryan for at least 2021 and probably 2022, barring a contract restructuring to spread the dead cap hits. If the team feels it can upgrade elsewhere just enough to be competitive, Chase could be a dynamic pick.

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  • Denver is in a strange position following the two draft trades. The Broncos can stick with Drew Lock one more year and see if he develops once he has more cohesion around him and what should be a traditional offseason to develop his promising skills. He lost his top receiver last year, and the right tackle Ja’Wuan James opted out. James, 28, is expected to return, but the team has an out after this year if he’s not playing well. This team could go QB, LB, CB, OT … it’s rather wide open.
  • Several situations that appear to be obvious directions for teams to turn don’t necessarily compute for me. I’m not saying Chicago, New Orleans, New England and/or Washington won’t add a quarterback in Round 1, but I’m not seeing the scenarios playing out favorably.
Pick
 Team
Pos
 Player School
1
 Jacksonville Jaguars
QB
 Trevor Lawrence Clemson
2
 New York Jets
QB
 Zach Wilson BYU
3
 San Francisco 49ers (via MIA>HOU)
QB
 Justin Fields Ohio State
4
 Atlanta Falcons
WR
 Ja’Marr Chase LSU
5
 Cincinnati Bengals
OT
 Penei Sewell Oregon
6
 Miami Dolphins (via PHI)
TE
 Kyle Pitts Florida
7
 Detroit Lions
WR
 Jaylen Waddle Alabama
8
 Carolina Panthers
QB
 Trey Lance North Dakota State
9
 Denver Broncos
CB
 Patrick Surtain II Alabama
10
 Dallas Cowboys
CB
 Caleb Farley Virginia Tech
11
 New York Giants
EDGE
 Gregory Rosseau Miami (Fla.)
12
 Philadelphia Eagles (via MIA>SF)
LB
 Micah Parsons Penn State
13
 Los Angeles Chargers
OT
 Christian Darrisaw Virginia Tech
14
 Minnesota Vikings
OT
 Rashawn Slater Northwestern
15
 New England Patriots
WR
 DeVonta Smith Alabama
16
 Arizona Cardinals
LB
 Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Notre Dame
17
 Las Vegas Raiders
EDGE
 Jaelen Phillips Miami (Fla.)
18
 Miami Dolphins
RB
 Najee Harris Alabama
19
 Washington Football Team
WR
 Kadarius Toney Florida
20
 Chicago Bears
OL
 Teven Jenkins Oklahoma State
21
 Indianapolis Colts
OT
 Jalen Mayfield Michigan
22
 Tennessee Titans
CB
 Jaycee Horn South Carolina
23
 New York Jets (via SEA)
RB
 Travis Etienne Clemson
24
 Pittsburgh Steelers
OG/OT
 Alijah Vera-Tucker USC
25
 Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR)
S
 Trevon Moehrig TCU
26
 Cleveland Browns
EDGE
 Zaven Collins Tulsa
27
 Baltimore Ravens
EDGE
 Kwity Paye Michigan
28
 New Orleans Saints
CB
 Greg Newsome II Northwestern
29
 Green Bay Packers
DT
 Levi Onwuzurike Washington
30
 Buffalo Bills
EDGE
 Azeez Ojulari Georgia
31
 Kansas City Chiefs
OG/C
 Landon Dickerson Alabama
32
 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LB
 Nick Bolton Missouri

15 prospects to watch after Eagles trade down to No. 12 overall in the NFL draft

The Eagles traded the No. 6 overall pick to the Dolphins for the No. 12 overall pick. Here are 15 players to watch.

The NFL draft is a month away and as the Eagles prepare for a rebuild under new head coach Nick Sirianni, the franchise will undergo a facelift that could happen fast with 22-23 picks over the next two years.

The Eagles are currently slated to pick No. 12 overall in April’s draft after trading down from No. 6 Friday, and with players like Ja’Marr Chase and Kyle Pitts unlikely to be available, Philadelphia is choosing to stockpile picks.

Howie Roseman has to hit big in the first round, so here are 15 prospects to watch.

Micah Parsons blazes at Penn State pro day, has met with the Lions

Parsons put on an impressive workout at Penn State’s pro day

One of the top defensive prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft, linebacker Micah Parsons worked out for NFL scouts at Penn State’s pro day on Thursday. And Parsons put on an impressive display that the Lions surely took to note.

After his workout, Parsons indicated he has already met with the Lions “a couple of times” per Dave Birkett of the Free Press, and Parsons added that he’s met with coach Dan Campbell as well. The Lions were in attendance for the pro day as well.

It was the first time scouts have seen anything from Parsons in over a year. The LB opted out of the 2020 season after having one of the best performances of any LB in the country in 2019. Parsons notched 109 tackles, 14 TFLs, five sacks and four forced fumbles in a tour de force role for the Nittany Lions.

Parsons could be in play for the Lions in the first round. He does have to answer for some disturbing off-field issues, including being involved in the sexual assault of a teammate in a hazing incident. If the Lions clear his character, he’s certainly a consideration as an impact talent in the draft.

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Jayson Oweh and Micah Parsons crushed Penn State’s Pro Day

Jayson Oweh and Micah Parsons are both very, very fast.

The NFL isn’t having the Combine like they do in normal years, but college players hoping to have a long, robust NFL career still have the chance to show their athleticism at college pro days leading up to the draft.

Penn State’s Micah Parsons and Jayson Oweh did more than just show off their athleticism at their pro day workout. They performed like true freak athletes who likely won’t wait long to hear their names called on draft day thanks to said performances.

Parsons and Oweh played linebacker and defensive end in Penn State’s front seven, but both have the athleticism seen at positions played by much smaller men.

Parsons, for instance, measured in at 246 pounds before the start of his workout … he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at that weight.

Just obscene.

Oweh came in at 257 pounds and he ran even faster, hitting a time of 4.36.

At 257 pounds!

These two still have questions to answer during the draft process. Parsons opted out of the 2020 season to get ready for the draft while Oweh didn’t register a single sack last season. Not one.

NFL teams will need to figure out how to fit them on their defenses, but one thing can’t be questioned: these are two rare, rare athletes that NFL coaches will covet on draft day.

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Giants’ Joe Judge attends wildly impressive Penn State Pro Day

New York Giants head coach Joe Judge was in person for an incredibly impressive PSU pro day that featured a lot of Sean Spencer praise.

Penn State players absolutely showed out during their official pro day on Thursday, and New York Giants head coach Joe Judge was front and center for all of the action.

Judge watched on as 2021 NFL draft hopefuls such as linebacker Micah Parsons, defensive end Shaka Toney, edge rusher Jayson Oweh and tight end Pat Freiermuth put on a show.

And we’re not kidding. Numbers across the board will raise the draft stock of several PSU players.

Beyond just the numbers, several Penn State players offered up high praise for Giants defensive line coach Sean Spencer, who held that position at PSU from 2014-2019.

There was a lot to take away from the performance of the players and their comments, but one thing is for certain: don’t be surprised if the Giants target a Penn State player over the first three rounds of the draft.

The connection to Spencer is strong, but the versatility and athleticism of PSU players is what will attract Judge & Co.

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Micah Parsons, Jayson Oweh impress at Penn State pro day

Penn State defensive prospects Micah Parsons and Jayson Oweh made the most of their pro day workout ahead of the 2021 NFL draft

Two of the top defensive prospects in the 2021 NFL draft class are coming out of Happy Valley, and they both put on a show at their pro day workout Thursday.

Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons and edge defender Jayson Oweh both made the most of their chance to impress NFL decision-makers, showing off their impressive combinations of size, speed and athleticism.

Parsons was already widely regarded as the top off-ball linebacker prospect in this year’s draft, and his performance Thursday could lock him into that spot, as well as a potential top-10 slot next month. Oweh’s showing could cement him as a first-round pick, and without a clear-cut leader in this year’s EDGE class, he could end up being the first one off the board.

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